An Underground Craft Beer Bar Is Opening on Symonds Street

Following a one-month pop-up earlier this year, craft beer advocates Beer Jerk are making their underground bar a permanent fixture in Eden Terrace.

From Friday, 12 October The Beer Jerk Bunker will be found in the basement of Uptown Freehouse (formerly Cartel) along Symonds Street. It has been described by owners Luke White and Brent Grove as a welcoming venue featuring "the best curated beer selection in New Zealand". While you'll have to wait until this weekend to find out whether the drinks list lives up to the hype, discovering new and interesting concoctions has always been the main objective of Beer Jerk. The company first started as a subscription service, supplying rare, interesting and unique beers to a growing network of beer geeks.

Needless to say that visitors to the Bunker shouldn't expect mass-produced piss water and artisanal cocktails. The Beer Jerks have put together an eclectic selection featuring four taps and a bottle list featuring "the best examples of every style".

To complete the experience the venue promises regular beer releases, tap takeovers, tasting events and bring your own nights. Held every Thursday, the BYO evenings invite beer lovers to bring in a bottle of something rare and cool to share and discuss with like-minded individuals. Corkage is $5 and limited to one bottle per customer. The first beer takeover on Friday, 19 October will see Danish microbrewery Øl bring its Fuck Art series to the subterranean venue with one-off kegs and a range of cans.

The Beer Jerk Bunker will be open for business from Wednesday to Sunday.